Thanksgiving 2016

Kane County Forest Preserve of Illinois invited Kent Nerburn, author of several books about American Indians, to speak at a program earlier in November. Several people from Northern Kane County Wild Ones and/or Ruthless Readers, our Environmental Book Club, attended. Three of his books were for sale, either individually or as a package. Our book club selected Neither Wolf nor Dog, on Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder, to read and discuss at our November meeting. I recommend it highly. We’re going to read and discuss another of his books, The Wolf at Twilight, in February.

As you all know, the First People were active in the fight against the XL Pipeline and now the Dakota Access Pipeline.

While the tribe’s lawyers work to persuade a federal judge to withdraw permits for the pipeline in a ruling expected on Friday, thousands of protesters gathered at campgrounds near Standing Rock Sioux Tribe lands.

“This is a new beginning, not just for our tribe, but for all tribes in this country,” said Standing Rock Sioux spokesman Ron His Horse is Thunder, one of the leaders hoping for a rebirth of Native American activism beyond the pipeline battle.

Representatives of 200 tribes and environmentalists have set up camp in the rolling hills near the confluence of the Missouri and Cannon Ball rivers in sight of the proposed pipeline route.

We need and welcome their help to save our earth, our soil, our water, our air. They supply and share their ancient knowledge, their passion, their music, and their way of life with us. Let us listen this time.